A haptic device using the form of force feedback is known in the surgical and telerobotic fields. Typically the haptic devices are in the form of a joystick or similar device held by the operator to guide the motion of the robotic arm. Since the physical position of the control device held by the operator is directly related to the motion of the actuating device, the haptic feedback is directly sensed by the operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,095,200 describes a system and method for using a haptic device in computer assisted surgery. The haptic device is used as an input device, allowing information to pass from the user to the computer assisted surgery system. It may be used for defining anatomical reference geometry, manipulating the position and/or orientation of virtual implants, manipulating the position and/or orientation of surgical approach trajectories, manipulating the positions and/or orientation of bone resections, and the selection or placement of any other anatomical or surgical feature. The haptic device is a mechanical or electromechanical device that interacts and communicates with a user using sensory information such as touch, force, velocity, position, and/or torque.
Haptic devices provide users with information through touch and have been incorporated in pagers and are available in modern smartphones. These devices quietly notify the user of events or other occurrences through vibrations of varying strengths, frequencies, and patterns. Other prior art haptic devices that provide users with information through touch include a haptic torque wrench, a force feedback haptic teaching device, a vibrating handheld barcode reader, and a video game controller with “dual shock”.
The prior art does not include use of haptic devices in the industrial robot environment and generally is not related to the operation of a teach pendant where keys are pressed to control motion of the robot. The prior art does not relate to notification of contact of the robot with a fixture, or when an overly aggressive robot move is commanded, or when a teach pendant entry mistake was made. The prior art does not relate to notification of approaching an interference zone, a torch angle for a robot utilized for welding, or other tooling angles reaching a specified orientation or position.
Notification devices used with industrial robots include audible alarms which are difficult to hear in a noisy plant environment. Also, visual alarms are used with industrial robots. However, visual alarms are not observed by the user unless the user is looking directly at the teach pendant. Missing a notification of an event or a circumstance can lead to a decrease in productivity including a decrease in quality, an increase of production delay, and an increase in cost.
As a result, there is a need for an apparatus and method to provide haptic feedback for use with industrial robots to improve the interaction between users and their teach pendant to increase productivity and quality and decrease delay and cost.